The invention relates to a portable apparatus for the storage of compact discs and more particularly to the storage of a multiplicity of compact discs within a single storage unit for the protection of their written surfaces.
Compact discs (xe2x80x9cCDsxe2x80x9d) are polycarbonate plastic discs having one or more layers of metal, capable of storing digital information. Most common are music CD""s and CD-ROM""s (CDR and CDRW) and Photo CD""s.
It is critical that the discs be protected from scratching in order to maintain the information they store. Most discs, especially music CD""s are retailed in crystal polystyrene cases, secured to the case at their central opening. Crystal polystyrene is highly brittle and the cases are easily damaged. Further storage of large numbers of these cases requires significant space and access to the discs is cumbersome and time consuming.
Ideally, CD""s should be stored in compartments free from dust, where the only portion of the disc that comes in contact with the compartment and any device to remove the disc, is the unwritten edge of the disc.
It is known to store records and CD""s in storage compartments capable of housing multiple CD""s.
Often, CD""s are removed from their original cases and placed inside multi-pocketed, fabric cases, lined with a soft material, for portable storage. Unfortunately, any dust or abrasive material present on the surface of the disc is scratched across the surface of the disc as it is inserted and removed from the case.
A number of different types of storage units or magazines currently exist. These range from stands which house CD""s individually, stored in their original cases, to large circular magazines housed within CD players, capable of storing a multiplicity of CD""s readily selectable by a selection mechanism within the player.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,463 to Vanderzee et al. teaches a record magazine in a toroidal form having records stored face to face, and radially disposed so as to form a complete circle or doughnut. Pairs of flanged circular discs serve as mounts for a plurality of U-shaped wire bails disposed between the individual records to serve as separators. The magazine rotates as a unit about a sleeve. The magazine of this invention is not portable, and the wire bails disposed between the records risk injury to CD""s were they to be so applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,721 to Corbett Jr. et al teaches a record magazine mounted for rotation about a vertical axis having a series of radially disposed record-receiving pockets in which the individual records are carried on edge to extend radially of the axial center of rotation. The pockets are formed by the spaces between major and minor separation plates, one major plate on either side of each pair of facing records, the pair separated by a minor plate. The magazine rests upon an indexing plate having a series of ratchet teeth, one for each pocket and record. Again, the magazine of this invention is not portable, risks damage to a CD""s written surface and does not facilitate hand selection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,626 to Staar teaches a fixed magazine for records or discs having compartments located in a circular arrangement about a center axis. The discs are retained in the compartments by spring leaves. In this patent, the disc changer rotates rather than the magazine, however the magazine may be removed for wholesale change of its contents. The spring leaves used to separate the contents could potentially damage CD""s.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,164 to Rockola et al. references earlier prior art to indicate that the magazine is toroidal and rotatable to selectively position a CD in an indexed position where it may be engaged by a gripper arm assembly. The CD""s are stored in pockets having wire bails and pads to insulate the CD""s from one another. The pads still contact the CD surface and often time can accumulate abrasive material which would risk damage to the CD.
Only U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,797 to Kos provides a portable carrier which deals specifically with protection of the circular semiconductor wafers it is designed to carry. The system involves a complex arrangement of cushioning devices to engage and provide pressure on the edge of the wafer at points adjacent the horizontal diameters of the wafer to prevent movement and damage within the carrier. The patent does not teach a rotatable mechanism for selection, nor does it teach a lifting device to enable convenient hand removal.
Another multi-compartmented storage device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,454 to Schatteman et al., wherein a complicated arrangement of V-shaped grooved members and multiple lever and securing arms are adapted to engage the edge of the disc and rotate it into and out of a series of compartments within a magazine, along an arcuate path defined by pins and slots and actuated by levers and springs. This storage device requires complex construction, especially when used in conjunction with a CD player or recording mechanism, and is neither portable nor inexpensive.
Other multiple storage compartments are described for use within automated CD players, many having mechanisms that select and rotate the disc into the player by touching the written surface of the disc. None of these units are designed to be portable and wholesale exchange of their contents is time consuming as access to the magazine is limited.
Clearly there is a need for a portable CD storage unit, that is simply constructed, engages discs solely at their unwritten edges for easy removal and insertion from the unit and allows easy wholesale exchange of the contents of the storage unit.
The current invention addresses the problems in the prior art disc storage units by providing a rotatable indexed magazine for disc storage housed within a fully enclosed portable storage unit and a user-actuated lifting magazine, for lifting the disc from the storage magazine and through a slot in the top housing. More particularly, the storage unit supports discs solely at their unwritten edges while being stored in the magazine, while being lifted from the magazine by the lifting mechanism and as they are guided through the lid slot.
In simple terms, the storage unit comprises a two-part separable toroidal shaped housing, a circular, rotatable magazine for disc storage, the magazine supporting disc only by their unwritten edges, an indexing means to align a disc for removal and a lifting mechanism to raise a disc out of the magazine and through a slot in the top housing, for grasping by the user.
More specifically, the housing is formed of two substantially identical halves which can be removeably clipped together, at a flange formed about the outer circumferential edge, to create a unitary, portable structure. Each housing half has radially extending slot formed thereon, a disc access slot on top, a lifting actuation slot on the bottom, and both of which are angularly aligned. Discs are held in a magazine, supported and rotatable on a pedestal, formed at the center of the housing. The magazine is comprised of a multiplicity of radially extending supporting members or spokes forming V-shaped slots therebetween at the base of the magazine through which the edges of the discs depend. A corresponding number of pairs of parallel, raised projections are formed on the inner and outer circumferential walls of the magazine, aligned with the V-shaped slots. The height of the projections is limited so as to support the edge of a disc solely at the unwritten portion.
A lifting mechanism is provided comprising a lever, pinned at a fulcrum outside the bottom housing and a lever actuation mechanism. An inner end of the lever is angled up towards the center of the pedestal of the bottom housing, extending through the bottom housing actuation slot where it is pinned to the actuation mechanism therein. An outer end of the lever arm extends radially outwards, under the V-shaped slots in the magazine, the outer end of the lever rising through the actuation slot in the bottom housing for raising a disc from the magazine to project out of the access slot, when actuated.
The lever actuating mechanism comprises a plunger and spring, the plunger extending downwards within the bore of a tubular knob located at the center of the magazine, its lower end pinned to the lifting mechanism""s lever arm. The spring is sandwiched between a circular button at the top of the plunger and the magazine. Downward pressure on the button top of the plunger actuates the lever arm and when released, the spring returns the plunger upwardly to its original position within the bore.
The magazine, rotated by turning the knob at its center, has notches formed on is underside, each notch aligned with a pair of raised projections, a V-slot and thus a disc. Optionally, numbers can be added to the outer edge of the magazine, aligned with each disc, for identification and indexing purposes.
A locking arm is pivotally attached at the base of the housing, aligned with the bottom housing slot and extending through the bottom housing slot to cooperate with the notches on the magazine to limit rotation, during disc removal. The locking arm can be release from the notches by pressing the top of the arm which causes the locking arm to rotate outwardly from its pivot at its pinned end, freeing its inner edge from the notches in the magazine, allowing the magazine to rotate freely.
Therefore, in a broad aspect of the invention, apparatus is provided for storage and indexed retrieval of multiple data storage discs having unwritten peripheral edge portions, comprising semicircular toroidal-shaped top and bottom housings; the top housing having a radially extending disc access slot formed therein; a semicircular toroidal magazine rotatably supported within the bottom housing and having a multiplicity of corresponding and radially spaced inner and outer pairs of projections for supporting a multiplicity of angularly spaced discs within the magazine, the projections being limited in height so as to engage a disc solely at its unwritten edge; means for indexing the magazine relative to the access slot for aligning a disc in the magazine therewith; and means for lifting a disc from the magazine""s projections and through the access slot.